2022 was our tenth 12 months on honeymoon, Buddy the Camper’s fifth 12 months within the household, and the 12 months we reached the seventieth nation on our 7-continent journey. Hitting a decade of nomadic residing, we felt a deep sense of gratitude. Again in 2012 we began touring to have a good time our marriage, however because the years have gone on, we realized it’s the native communities and pristine environments that want celebrating. Whereas we’ve at all times been eco-conscious, we wished to be extra deliberate in our route, partnerships, and journey suggestions. As a result of with a little bit of analysis and knowledgeable decisions, having enjoyable may also be doing good. We created a brand new aim for 2022 (and past)…we weren’t simply going to journey to essentially the most swoon-worthy locations, we had been happening a quest to search out The World’s Most Romantic and Sustainable Locations. This introduced us to French Polynesia, Costa Rica, Bhutan, Slovenia…and we’re simply getting began! And with each place we associate with, we’re volunteering when potential and giving again 5% of our earnings to the communities and environments that make every one so particular.
Listed here are our journey highlights from 2022 (together with some our households don’t even find out about) and experiences we hope will encourage your personal journey!
10 Years of HoneyTrek in 7 Minutes
To commemorate our decade on honeymoon and all of the unimaginable locations, folks, and experiences which have touched our lives within the course of, we took on the huge activity of turning 10 years price of movies right into a 7-minute highlight reel. It took a strong month to edit down 1000’s of movies and (with the assistance of an unimaginable editor) finesse our 300 greatest clips into one thing that advised our story. Beginning with leaving our residence in New York Metropolis and flying into the wilds of the Amazon Jungle, like the 2 clueless metropolis children we had been, you see our struggles and triumphs as we transfer from South America, Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, The Center East, Central America, The Caribbean, Antarctica, to North America. The range of experiences made us respect the highs and lows, and understand that there is no such thing as a such factor as a misadventure. Watch the video above for one of the best of HoneyTrek at a look.
HoneyTrek on Entry Hollywood
Our tenth 12 months on Honeymoon obtained quantity of media consideration, together with an interview with People Magazine and a TV section on Australia’s biggest morning show, although the one that basically put butterflies in our abdomen was an eight-minute interview with Mario Lopez & Equipment TK of Entry Hollywood. We went to NBC studios at Rockafeller Middle and it was so surreal seeing the phases the place Saturday Evening Dwell & The Tonight Present are filmed, then sit within the sizzling seat for our personal section with one of many largest hosts in America! As nervous as we had been, it couldn’t have gone higher with Mario and Equipment holding up our books and going gaga for our journey!
Extra HoneyTrek Press Highlights: Expedia’s Out Travel the System Podcast, US News & World Report, Bhutan Times, Washington Post‘s Mansion Global Magazine, Mariposa Gazette, and The Times of India (together with this media blitz that ensued throughout our go to to Kerala).
Strolling Safari in Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Tennessee Music Blitz
The house of the blues, nation, and rock n’ roll, Tennessee has such a wealthy music historical past. However contemplating its additionally the homestate of half my household, we form of took that without any consideration…till this Might! To put a greater basis, we took Memphis’ Backbeat Excursions, the place a reside musician and main Memphis historian tells the story of this musical metropolis by means of tune. We adopted that up with a visit to Graceland to take a look at Elvis’ pad, aircraft, automobiles, and a museum to the King of Rock and Roll. The month of Might can be the annual Beale Avenue Music Pageant, the place 70+ bands from the Mississippi Delta to Ghana, Africa got here to get down. Megan Thee Stallion, The Counting Crows, Grace Potter, Weezer, Shaggy, Modest Mouse and Van Morrison had been just some favorites to grace the stage. (See our Memphis Instagram Reel here.) Everybody is aware of that Nashville is the house of nation music, however few understand that neighboring Franklin & Leiper’s Fork are the place its nation royalty reside and groom rising stars. Leiper’s Fork could also be a village of solely 650 folks, however a few of its residents embrace Chris Stapleton, Keith City, Nicole Kidman, and Justin Timberlake. Music runs by means of the veins of this city and their outdated nation retailer is a premier venue. We heard about Fox & Locke’s legendary Thursday open-mic evening, the place artists are sometimes previous or future Grammy nominees, and we had been blown away by all 20 acts—be it a teenage lady with an enormous set of pipes or the author for that “Evening Shift” tune that’s all around the radio. Down the highway in Franklin, the FirstBank Amphitheater has turned an deserted quarry from a trash heap to one of the vital distinctive and sustainable music venues. We might’ve seen any live performance simply to expertise this candy new spot, however we had the nice fortune of catching the legendary Willie Nelson! Read our blog about the secret music hubs of Tennessee.
New Public Talking Gigs: Sustainable Journey
We spoke at 5 journey tradeshows this 12 months, giving talks from “Succeeding as a Digital Nomad” at The Journey Summit in Canada to “Rising Your Enterprise with Influencer Advertising and marketing” on the Glamping Present USA. Although we’re most happy with the first-ever sustainability panel at The Travel & Adventure Show. We spoke at this multi-city present in San Francisco again in 2021 and once we didn’t see the subject of sustainability being lined in a significant method, we requested if we may be a part of forces with different green-minded journey professionals for a panel dialogue and Q&A. Our aim was to tell vacationers’ journey planning and decision-making to decrease their carbon footprint, assist native communities, and have a optimistic influence wherever they go. It was such a success that we’ll be bringing the panel to extra Journey & Journey Exhibits sooner or later!
Canoeing America’s First Nationwide River and Celebrating its fiftieth Yr!
Kayaking and canoeing is our glad place and paddling the beautiful Buffalo River within the sheer canyons of Arkansas was pure bliss! The Nationwide Park System manages this 95,000 acres of Northwest Arkansas wilderness, full with verdant mountains, limestone cliffs, elk herds, historic villages, and naturally, this epic river. Paddling from Ponca to Kyle’s Touchdown, we plied this beautiful 10-mile stretch and hopped out for hikes to a number of waterfalls–together with the tallest cascade between the Rockies and the Appalachians! To prime all of it off we stayed at Buffalo Out of doors Middle’s most romantic mountaintop cabin with a sizzling tub to absorb the valley views and numerous stars on this Worldwide Darkish Sky Park. Watch this video on our Buffalo River adventure and examine our full Northwest Arkansas Street Journey here.
Visiting India Collectively…at Final!
Earlier than we met, Mike and I every took backpacking journeys to India. Its 5,000+ years of civilization and billion folks of unimaginable variety left a deep impression on each of us and it was about time we skilled the subcontinent collectively. Our first cease was Goa, the place we stayed in an AMAZING Nineteenth-century Indo-Portuguese mansion, explored the UNESCO-protected outdated city, and danced on the seashores with tens of 1000’s of Indians for his or her seventy fifth Independence Day. Then we hopped an overnight train (which was its own wild adventure) to Kerala. Tucked between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, Kerala is a spot so stunning it’s known as “God’s Personal Nation.” Well-known for his or her tea plantations, backwater canals, lengthy stretches of seashore, colonial structure, and harmonious mix of religions, Kerala was dazzling. Watch our video about the ancient port city of Kochi, see our gallery from Munnar tea country, and see our full highlight reel from our India journey. Regardless of how seasoned a traveler you might be, India will at all times hold you in your toes and light-weight up your senses.
Nationwide Honeymoon Day
Honeyfund, the world’s #1 honeymoon registry, had the sensible thought to begin this vacation and guess who they requested to be their spokespeople? They did an enormous press release on the significance of honeymoons, with some fascinating stats on how that preliminary newlywed journey makes for stronger, longer marriages with a number of quotes from HoneyTrek. To additional the celebration and share some journey suggestions, we did an Instagram Dwell with Honeyfund and a juicy Ultimate Journeys for Two giveaway.
Masking the Re-opening of Bhutan for Journey & Leisure Journal
A Himalayan Kingdom that has solely been open to the skin world since 1974, and a rustic that measures success by Gross Nationwide Happiness, Bhutan has at all times intrigued us. Including to the thriller of “The Land of the Thunder Dragon,” they took pandemic precautions to a brand new degree and closed their borders for the final 2.5 years. The nation lastly opened to guests on September twenty third of 2022…however by means of a collection of governmental hoops and a stroke of magic, we had been invited in early to point out that Bhutan is again and higher than ever. It was an unimaginable honor to be among the many first vacationers to expertise the “New Bhutan” and cowl the country’s grand reopening for Travel & Leisure. It was difficult unraveling the slew of latest tourism insurance policies (particularly when half the conferences had been held within the Dzongkha language!) nevertheless it was price all the trouble to spotlight this particular place. For a deep dive into the magic of this nation, read the HoneyTrek blog on trekking to the well-known Tiger’s Nest, flying in the cockpit over Mount Everest, attending a masks dance pageant, glamping at 12,000 toes, river rafting previous Seventeenth-century fortresses, sleeping in Buddhist temples, planting bushes, sharing tea with nomadic cow herders, and discovering pleasure in one of many world’s happiest international locations.
Croatia Energy {Couples} Boat Journey
As a pair who gave up just about all the things (home, automotive, job, group, most possessions, and so on.) to observe a dream, we’re at all times looking out for our tribe. Pairs like this may be laborious to come back by, so once we obtained invited to a week-long “Energy {Couples}” boat journey in Croatia, we didn’t assume twice. Crusing from Cut up to the distant islands of Kornati Nationwide Park and lesser-known seaside villages of the Adriatic, we obtained to bond and study from fellow {couples} working their very own companies, residing nomadic existence, and charting their very own path. To not point out, {that a} private boat trip alongside the Dalmatian coast is the easiest way to shake the vacationers and see the serene facet of Croatia.
Bosnia & Herzegovina Street Journey
When our Croatia boat journey ended, we continued our energy {couples} journey with our long-time journey blogger buddies Max and Oksana of Drink Tea & Travel. Positive we may have explored extra of Croatia, however we determined to dig right into a lesser-known area of former Yugoslavia…Bosnia & Herzegovina. Flashbacks of the Nineteen Nineties Bosnian Struggle hold many vacationers away, however allow us to inform you, this nation is a gem! Clifftop castles, craggy mountains, East-meets-West structure, and locals who’re genuinely glad to see you, B&H had us extending our journey for extra. Rethink this vacation spot and add these locations to your itinerary: The open-air museum of Počitelj village, Kravica Waterfall, Fortress of Herzog, the UNESCO bridge and metropolis of Mostar, Blagaj Dervish Monestary, Aleksin Han lookout & Neretva River cliffs, and the fascinating capital of Sarajevo. Bosnia & Herzegovina should have its battle scars, however vacationers who give the nation an opportunity assist them heal.
Crusing from Citadel to Citadel in Trieste, Italy
After we spent every week crewing a yacht in French Polynesia in fall 2021, Captain Jasna Tuta stated to us “If you’re ever in Italy, you might be at all times welcome on my boat.” We had a lot enjoyable attending to know this fellow world traveler and studying from a grasp sailor that we couldn’t move up that invite! After our former-Yugoslavia journey, we took a particular detour to Trieste to sail from citadel to citadel on her signature tour with an in a single day extension. Identical to outdated instances, she had us hoisting sails, setting anchors, even giving us turns on the helm. Jasna spent 9 years crusing around the globe however her hometown of Trieste is the place she docks a bit of her coronary heart. When she’s not educating the blind to sail or writing bestselling books, she’s main journeys between the gorgeous Duino and Miramare castles. We watched sundown hit the ocean cliffs, cooked hip-to-hip within the hull, and swapped nomad tales into the evening, to culminate one among our favourite weekends of the 12 months.
Oktoberfest Snowbird Type
We didn’t count on fall to be soooo spectacular in Utah. In lower than half-hour from downtown Salt Lake Metropolis, we had been surrounded by craggy mountains below a blanket of purple and gold. A couple of curves later we pulled into Snowbird, one of many nation’s premier ski resorts and legendary Oktoberfests. Began in 1972 by a yodeling tram-operator and some of Salt Lake’s German immigrants, this pageant of beer and mountain merriment simply celebrated its fiftieth 12 months. We joined the Bavarian-style occasion with 1000’s twirling about of their lederhosen, then rode the chair carry to 11,000 toes for hefeweizens overlooking the Wasatch Vary. Salt Lake Metropolis is so near the mountains, we may have made this a day journey, however as an alternative we checked into the ultra-fabulous Alta Chalets to get pleasure from sundown from our sizzling tub and a dawn hike from our entrance door. Watch our reel for this scenic fall drive, must-do beer pageant, one among our new favourite mountaineering trails, and an unforgettable weekend getaway.
Skydiving over Yosemite
I used to be at all times on the fence about skydiving, however a scenic flight round Yosemite Nationwide Park that culminates with free-falling over this iconic swath of terrain made me take the leap! Watch us fly previous Half Dome, then backflip from 14,000 toes. For our favourite issues to do round Yosemite and the inspiring folks behind them, see this blog.
Glamping Consulting Workshops
After reviewing 250+ boutique accommodations and glamping camps around the globe, we determined to share what we’ve discovered with rising glampgrounds and assist them create an unforgettable visitor expertise. We began our HoneyTrek Glamping Consulting & Creative Services again in 2020 and this fall it grew to become a correct side-hustle, conducting 10 programs within the month of November alone with extra to come back within the new 12 months! From present glamp camps like Basecamp Resort to an superior regenerative resort that’s brewing exterior of DC, these aren’t simply properties, these are goals that we’re so proud to assist deliver to fruition!
England Housesit & Women Journey
🥳 For my candy sixteen, my mother gave me journey to London and it opened up my view of the world. So for her milestone…
Posted by HoneyTrek on Saturday, December 3, 2022
After we take a trans-Atlantic flight, we wanna benefit from it (for ourselves and the planet)! So for our current journey to London for World Journey Market, we determined to show a three-day tradeshow right into a five-week keep in Europe…beginning with a housesit within the English countryside! Caring for a 400-year-old thatched cottage and 17-year-old Jack Russell was a bit intimidating at first, however the owners and group of Winslow made us really feel like household! We adored our time on this historic city…strolling the Excessive Avenue, buying the farmer’s markets, and supporting our native pub (the owners left us pint cash to verify did 🙂 Once they requested if we may additionally care for his or her daughter’s canine, we bartered it for 2 houseguests! It was a daring ask, however my mother was having a milestone birthday and my sister had by no means traveled overseas with HoneyTrek…so a women’ journey was meant to occur! They joined us for a number of days within the cottage, then we went on a highway journey by means of the picture-perfect Cotswold countryside (video here), a day journey to the hallowed college city of Oxford, and three days in London for theater, museums, superb meals, and mother-daughter-sister-time. With all of the love and household enjoyable, this may increasingly have been our greatest housesit but.
Michelin-Star Eating Throughout Slovenia
HoneyTrek Cares
To indicate our love and assist for the fantastic communities and ecosystems we explored this 12 months, we’re proud to have donated to OsaConservation.org, Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica’s community library, Buffalo River Foundation, the Yosemite Climbing Association, Mariposa Community Foundation, Equality Utah, Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, The Bhutan Foundation and the Harpeth River Conservancy; plus we volunteered with The Bhutan Ecological Society, Mariposa Trails, and The Franklin Giving Garden. Thanks to all these organizations for his or her significant work and for sharing a bit of your world with us!
What do you assume was the spotlight of the 12 months?
2023 Journey Preview
- Event of Roses. We’re kicking off 2023 with a correct New Yr’s custom, the Rose Parade & Rose Bowl soccer sport! This 12 months it’s Penn State vs Utah and Buddy the Camper can be there tailgating with bells on.
- Xscapers Annual Bash. This group of younger RVers is getting collectively in Lake Havasu, Arizona for every week of music, video games, community-building, and information sharing (together with a chat by HoneyTrek!).
- Sonoma County for Valentine’s Day! Sonoma is a robust candidate to affix our listing of The World’s Most Romantic and Sustainable Locations, so we’re excited to see the inexperienced facet of California wine nation.
- ITB Berlin. The most important journey tradeshow on the earth occurs each March in Germany and we’re excited to lastly attend! Whereas we’re within the neighborhood, we’ll discover extra of the nation and head over to Switzerland or Spain.
- Bulgaria Ski Journey. Who’s been snowboarding in Bulgaria? Nobody we all know… that’s why we’re checking it out! Pals of ours are contemplating main winter journey excursions there and we’re glad to be there guinea pigs, alongside 20 snow-bunny buddies!
- Greece. There are a pair island teams main the cost for sustainable journey within the Mediterranean so we’ll be contemplating these for the listing too, and consuming loads of vegan gyros within the course of!
- Montana Marriage ceremony. Expensive associates of ours are getting married at Bridger Bowl exterior Bozeman so we’ll take this chance to highway journey the Rockies for a pair weeks.
- Africa. Nothing is formally on the docket but, however we’re placing it out to the universe…we’re going again and exploring new international locations like Rwanda, Botswana, and Namibia! We wish our listing of the World’s Most Romantic & Sustainable Locations to cowl all of the continents, so Africa is a should and certain to be a delight.
The place do you assume we must always go in 2023? We at all times love listening to your suggestions!
